Stand up for the Santa Ritas. Say no to Augusta Resources proposed mine.

At the first public hearing for its proposed open-pit copper mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, we were outgunned.Rosemont Valley Augusta again bussed in supporters for the hearing after feeding them lunch and opponents of the proposed mine were few and far between.

It was a disappointment, but not a shock: The Coronado National Forest let Rosemont Copper's PR firm handle the arrangements for the public meetings.

We need you to turn out for this Saturday's hearing and tell the Forest Service what you think of this incredibly damaging proposal, which would pollute our air and water and drive several species in our beloved Sky Islands closer to extinction.

Why: It's very important that opponents of the mine make themselves seen and heard. Even if you don't plan to speak, we need you there to counter the orchestrated pressure the company is putting on the Forest Service and show the media that people care more about the mountains than the mine.

If you can’t attend the hearing but would like to get a relatively brief version of the draft environmental impact statement to inform any comments you make, a PDF of its executive summary can be downloaded here.